With star outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith in concussion protocol and needing to clear it by Saturday to return to the lineup in Week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts on the road, rookie outside linebacker Nick Herbig is preparing for his potential first career start for the Black and Gold.
After playing 45 snaps in Week 14 on Thursday Night Football against the New England Patriots, Herbig is next in line behind Watt and Highsmith.
To this point in his career, Herbig has performed well in a limited role, playing just 148 defensive snaps on the season. He has a grade of 68.9 on the season from Pro Football Focus, including a 72.6 against the run and a 64.7 rushing the passer.
Though he hasn’t had a full-time role yet defensively Herbig is preparing for that potential first start and says he’s been preparing that way all season long. If that opportunity comes Saturday, he’ll be ready for it.
“I prep for that every week, for situations like that. I’m grateful to have guys in the room like them and coaches themselves to make sure that I’m ready to go,” Herbig said to reporters Wednesday regarding a potential starting role, according to video via 93.7 The Fan on Twitter.
Herbig wasn’t shy about his preparation, either, and potentially stepping into a starting role.
“Yeah, I was born ready,” Herbig said of being ready for potentially starting his first game.
With some questions surrounding him and his ability to stick on the edge in the NFL, Herbig has gone about answering them in a big way. In those 148 snaps, Herbig has two sacks and a forced fumble, making key plays in two road wins for the Steelers since the Week Six bye week, those being a big sack in Week Seven of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and a sack of Cincinnati’s Jake Browning in Week 12.
He also forced a fumble in a Week Eight home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Then, last Thursday night against the New England Patriots, Herbig was thrust into a larger role with Watt going down early in the game and then Highsmith exiting in the second quarter. Herbig played 45 snaps against the Patriots, the most of his career. For the most part, he handled the extended action well.
According to PFF, Herbig graded out at a 64.5 overall, including a 66.3 against the run and a 65.5 as a pass rusher, generating one pressure on just 21 pass-rush reps in the loss to the Patriots.
Now, with a full week to prepare for a potential starting role, Herbig should only be better in Week 15 against the Colts.
He has full confidence in himself, as he should. He’s played well as a rookie.
